Nadine - The Beginning

5. Just 1

I wake up the next morning feeling a little better. At least I was able to make the lives of the pets a bit better. That's what a queen is supposed to do.

"Good morning little miss. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes Mary. How did you sleep."

"Very well. Thank you little miss. The Madame got us new fabric for our bedding. Hop up here and we'll get your hair started."

"I wonder if the pets got something to sleep on." I sit down on my stool.

"Well your dad promised you. I'm sure he'll keep that promise princess."

"You're right. Can we do straight today? I don't see the point of adding all those curls just to cover them up."

"Of course little miss."

I go out to the barn after breakfast.

"Good morning Zacier."

The stable man stops brushing the horse and looks at me. "Princess I was worried about you. Dream came back yesterday without you. I sent word to your father. He said you were fine. What happened?"

"She got scared and threw me off."

"What scared her?"

"Not sure. A mouse or a snake maybe."

"Well I have news." He gives me a big smile.

"What?"

"Macie gave birth to a healthy foal last night. He's right this way."

"Oh he is so precious. He looks like my first horse Shadow. All black."

"Yes he does princess and he is from Shadows blood line. So it's not that surprising. What would you like to call him?"

I look at him for a minute. "He's just so cute. How about Shade?"

"That's a fine name princess."

"Can I feed him?"

"He eats from his momma right now but I'm sure he wouldn't mind a few pets. Did you want to take one of the horses out today?"

I step in with Shade and rub his little head. "I'd like to take Dream out again. She does need some extra work."

"I'll get her ready while you sit with Shade. I just need a few minutes princess."

"No problem take your time. I could sit with this little guy all day."

The foal makes a little noise and I about melt. "Awwww" I can't help but to love him already.

I hear something outside the stall and look up. "Hi Advisor Frode. What brings you here today sir?"

"I heard about the baby horse and wanted to come and see him."

"He looks like my old horse Shadow. I decided to name him Shade."

He smiles at me. "That's a nice name princess. It suits him well."

"Dream is all ready for you princess. Please be careful and don't go to far."

"Ok Zacier thank you."

I walk Dream all over the land again. "Dream you are doing so well today. I'm sorry you got scared yesterday. I should have been paying more attention to the ground."

She neighs at me and I laugh. "Well ok. I guess you agree. I need to go back for lunch now."

I get back to the house and momma is just sitting everything on the table. "Can I help with anything momma?"

"You seem to be doing better today princess."

"Yea I feel a little better." I decide not to bring back up the pets. "I guess I'm kind of getting use to this veil now. At least I can see though it. I guess it's not as bad as I thought it was going to be."

"I'm glad you find it tolerable."

"Momma"

"Yes."

"Never mind."

"What child?"

I sit down and look at her. "Do you think me and Tre will be mates someday?"

"Why would you ask that child? You're still to young for a mate." She puts a cup of blood in front of me.

"It's just I remember the story of how you and daddy met. It just seems like Tre is always there to save me in the same ways." I take a drink. "And he seems so nice." I take another drink. "And he looks so nice."

My mom laughs. "Oh child. It is to early to speculate that. You're both still to young. You are right though. He seems like a nice boy. And I could see why you think he looks nice as well. But, you will come across many nice looking and acting boys in your life. You can't believe each of them is your mate." She takes a drink. "Your true mate will show up eventually. And he will make you so happy."

She lays her hand on mine. "Until you know for sure it's best not to guess. That will only lead to heartbreak."

We both look up when we hear yelling in the hallway. I run out and daddy is yelling at Clay. "She had to be put down because of you." Daddy is furious. Clay is sitting on the ground crying.

I run to Clay and put my arms around him and give him a hug.

I look up at daddy. He walks into the room with mom and slams the door. The second the door is shut, Clay jumps up and takes off running outside.

I walk into the kitchen and mom and dad both stop talking.

"I'm just going to take lunch for me and Clay." He's either at the cave or the water. I always know how to find him.

Mom just nods at me and puts some food in a sack for us.

I walk out of the house that is still expanding every day. I don't know why daddy thinks we need such a big house.

I head to the barn. It's a long walk to the caves. I think I'll grab Dream and ride over.

After a long horse ride I tie Dream to a tree and poke my head into a cave.

"CLAY!"

"Clay are you in here? I can't see."

"Yes I'm here."

"Come outside. I know your hungry. I got us some food. We can have a picnic. Under a shade tree."

He slowly comes out and I can see he's been crying. His eyes are all red and puffy.

"What happened Clay?"

We sit down under a tree and split the food between us. I give Clay all the red berries. He loves those.

"I heard you guys talking about blood pets yesterday. I wanted to try some fresh blood. I snuck down the dungeon. I was just going to look at them. But Advisor Dracul was down there with one of them. I watched... They do other things to them too."

"I know." I steal a red berry. "Mom says men have urges when they get older. The blood pets satisfy the urges and protect us all in some weird way."

"Well I wanted to try. So when he left I snuck in and bit her neck. She woke up and started fighting back. I had to do something. She was actually strong. So, I bit down harder. She was screaming. The guards came running in and yanked me off her."

"Daddy came and the girl lost so much blood they had to kill her. They said she wasn't going to live."

I can see the tears in his eyes again.

"I just wanted to try the blood like a man does sister."

"I understand Clay." I give him a hug. "And daddy will too. He's probably just upset cause now the advisor needs a new pet. Well that and he told us yesterday to stay out of the dungeons because it's no place for kids. He probably thought you were injured down there and it scared him."

"I don't know. He was so mad."

"He'll be fine Clay. And so will you. Did you tell him what you told me?"

"No he just wouldn't stop yelling." He starts sobbing. "He said I killed her."

"I'll tell you what momma told me."

"What?"

"It's just 1 human. It doesn't matter that much. I'm sure we'll have to kill others at times as well. I remember when daddy didn't want to send me to school. He was afraid I would kill all the human children in the village."

"Why did he think that?"

"I think we are just meant to kill sometimes. Don't let it worry you to much. They will just find another one to replace her."

He sniffles and looks at me. "Thanks sister. You always make me feel better."

"That's what sisters are for Clay. Now lets go tell mom your side of the story. She can deal with dad later." I reach out and grab his hand. "All you wanted to do was try fresh blood from a blood pet Clay. The rest was an accident. And honestly, this doesn't surprise me at all. You are always wanting to try man things."

He laughs and snorts. "Well I will be a man someday you know."

"I know brother. But I think you try to rush it a bit at times. Oh but don't tell anyone you watched. We don't want to get advisor Dracul in trouble."

"You're right. It's not his fault that I am a master hider." Clay smiles as we both get on Dream.

"You're also really good at sneaking too."

We go back to the house and tell momma Clay's side of the story. She doesn't say much but I can tell she's furious. When we're done she tells us both to go play.

Clay looks at me when we get outside. "She was mad right?"

"Yes, but I don't think it was at us. She just sent us away."

We both sit down on the steps and look around. "There's nothing to do out here."

"There's nothing to do in there either."

Bang-thud-crash

We both look at each other and Clay says "What? It wasn't me this time."

"It came from inside, lets go see."

We both run back into the house and start looking around.

Clay looks at me. "The guards are all gone."

We start walking down a hallway. "This is the path I took to see the blood pet earlier. Let's hide in this room sister." He pulls me a room and we partially shut the door.

We can see a few guards start to walk by.

Then we see mom walk by. Covered in blood.

We both just look at each other for a minute.

Dad follows soon after. "Aurelia! What are you doing?"

Mom yells back with a voice I have never heard from her before. "UNTIL THAT DUNGEON IS LOCKED UP ENOUGH THAT MY CHILDREN CAN'T ROAM DOWN THERE, YOU WILL NOT KEEP THOSE PETS IN MY HOUSE!!!"

Dipak sees us crouching behind the door and stands in front of us. He never says a word though.

"Aurel..."

"AM I UNDERSTOOD? CAUSE IF NOT I WILL TAKE MY CHILDREN AND GO NOW!"

"Yes."

"Good. And they are all dead now. I suggest you take some time and make sure the place is secure before you bring new ones in. Or they won't live long either." Then she turns and leaves the hallway.

We hear dad turn walk the other way down the hallway.

Dipak turns and looks at us. "Children go outside and play for a bit please. Tensions in here need to lower a bit."

We both nod and run for the side door.

We start walking towards the river.

"I've never seen mom that mad."

"Me either Clay. Let's just stay gone till dinner. I can make a fire. Did Tre show you how he fishes?" I can't help but laugh when I say it.

He starts laughing to. "Yea, but I think I would rather just grab a pole."

After about 10 minutes we make it to the river. "Clay what's wrong? You seem like something is bothering you."

"Do you think dad will hurt mom for this?"

I can't help but laugh. "She'll hurt him first."

"Yea you're right." He sits down on a rock and I sit beside him. "Hey look there's Tre."

"Decide to use a pole today Tre? I thought you liked your method better."

He smiles at me. "Well if this don't work I will try the other method for your entertainment princess." He baits a hook and throws it in the water. "I need to catch some fish for my mother. She wants them for dinner."

"I'm going to run and grab some poles sister. We can help Tre." He runs off before I can even say anything.

"He really likes spending time with you Tre. You're like the older brother he never got."

Tre smiles again and sits down beside me on the rock. "I like spending time with you princess." He kind of nudges me with his shoulder when he says it.

For the first time, I'm glad I have this veil on. I'm sure I'm turning red. I open my mouth to say something nice but nothing will come out and I can't think of anything. I'm going to panic. I can't even move because he's sitting right beside me. Our arms are touching.

"What brought you 2 out to the river anyways?" He looks down at me and smiles again.

I don't know what to say. I can't make words. "Dipak kicked us out." Well that's a start.

My brother comes running back with 2 poles and gives me one. Oh thank you Clay.

"Why did Dipak kick you out?" He looks at me but Clay answers thankfully.

"Mom went crazy and killed all the blood pets and then she threatened to take us away if dad didn't secure the dungeon."

Well not that thankful I guess.

"Oh."

I stand up. "Yea, lets fish."

"I've never seen this many fish in one spot." Clay is poking at the bucket of fish we caught.

"Yea, let's go see how many my mom wants and then we can go ask your mom if she wants some. I know my mom won't want this many. I was having so much fun I never noticed how many we caught."

Clay gets the biggest smile. "Ok I can carry the poles."

"Sounds good man. You coming princess?"

"No thank you. You boys have fun. I'm going to clean up before dinner. Have a nice night Tre and thank you for allowing us to join you."

"My pleasure princess." He gives me that smile. I swear his eyes are trying to burn holes in this veil.

I curtsey and walk in the opposite direction they do. I can't wait to tell Mary what he said.